Infantry Equipment, Pattern 1914 - Ammunition Pouches

 

Pouches, ammunition, 60 rounds

pouches frontpouches rearThe Pattern 1914 Ammunition pouches were introduced with the Pattern 1914 Infantry Equipment in List of Changes entry LoC 16977, dated 30 August 1914. Each of the interchangeable Pouches is designed to hold 60 rounds of .303-inch ammunition, 50 rounds in a disposable cotton bandolier and another ten rounds in two five round chargers held in the inner pocket. Each Pouch has a single strap on the front to secure the cover, and two straps and buckles on the rear to secure it to the waist belt. A single buckle extends upward rear center, this is fastened to the front end of the brace. Another 1-inch strap extends downward from the rear of the Pouch. As with all leather parts of the W.E. Patt. '14 , the color was changed from "Service Brown" to the darker "London Brown" by LoC entry 17219, 31 December 1914 / 30 March 1915. The same LoC also modified the "turn down" of the two rear straps, and strengthened the straps by sewing as well as riveting them in place. This pair have the sewn straps and are in London Brown. The red brown panel on the back is unusual - normally they are all one color. Perhaps there was some spare red leather that needed using up.

pouch detail frontpouch detail rearpouch detail inside

These detail pictures show closeups of the front and rear and the interior pocket for the chargers.

 

 

 

doubledouble 2There is another version of the Ammunition pouch which has two front straps to secure the cover. This change was introduced by List of Changes entry LoC 20642, dated 5 February 1918. The LoC entry addresses both specifications for new manufacture and alterations to existing Pouches, but all of the examples I have seen have been conversions of single strap ones.

 

 

 

 

linesmanline2

I have also seen pictures of almost identical Pouches that are WWII dated. These are Linesman's tool pouches, added to the stores list by ACI A2322, dated 20 January 1927. This type of Pouch can be distinguished by the 1-inch strap that hangs below the brace buckle. In the Linesman's pouch, the visible chromed strap, in the foreground, shows its flesh side where it's turned over the "V" strap, to secure the buckle. On Patt. '14 Pouches, the arrangement is reversed, the chrome side appearing around the tongue bar. These photographs © Roger Dennis 2008.